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May Freighter
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Russian Roulette: An Urban Fantasy Novel (Helena Hawthorn Series Book 1) Kindle Edition

by May Freighter (Author), Nancy Zee (Illustrator), Jean Wallace (Editor) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 out of 5 stars 312 ratings
Nineteen-year-old Helena's perception of her lineage is challenged when she discovers her grandmother's grimoire. Searching for answers, her guardian angel takes her to a different realm where she accidentally becomes bound to a vampire.

Lucious has spent his immortality searching for his sire’s murderer, which made him a target for the Vampire Council. When a clueless witch binds herself to him, he believes he has a way to distract the ancient vampires on his tail.

But there’s a catch. Once united in a soul-bond, if one dies, so does the other. Too bad Lucious finds out about this after the Council has their sights on Helena. Running against time, the cunning vampire needs to find a way to save her and unbind himself since their bond is making his human emotions resurface. Not to mention, the attraction between them is a distraction he can’t afford.

Will Helena's bond with a vampire be strong enough to make her let go of her humanity as she delves deeper into her supernatural world?


HELENA HAWTHORN SERIES in chronological order:
- Alexander: Memoirs (Prequel & A Vampire In Love Book 1)
- Russian Roulette
- Demon Gates
- Crumbling Control
- Desired (Spin-off Novella)
- Monochrome Interview (A Vampire In Love Book 2)
- Fated Origins - Cherished (Spin-off Novella)
- Dark Affiliations
- Blood Witch
- Twisted Truths
Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. Book 1 of 7
    Helena Hawthorn Series
  2. Print length
    446 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    4 Oct. 2016
  6. Reading age
    13 - 18 years
  7. File size
    3.8 MB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
Next slide of product details

Shop this series

 See full series
There are 7 books in this series.

From the Publisher

vampires, angels, demons, magic, supernatural, urban fantasy, paranormal romance, witches, soulmates
vampires, angels, demons, magic, supernatural, urban fantasy, paranormal romance, witches, soulmates
vampires, angels, demons, magic, supernatural, urban fantasy, paranormal romance, witches, soulmates

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01JJGL306
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 4 Oct. 2016
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.8 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 446 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 7 ‏ : ‎ Helena Hawthorn Series
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 13 - 18 years
  • Customer reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 312 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
May Freighter

May Freighter

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May Freighter is an award-winning, internationally bestselling author from Ireland. She writes Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, and Sci-Fi Mysteries that will keep you entertained, mystified, and hopefully craving more. Currently, she's attempting to parent two little monsters and hasn't slept in over 4 years.

Who needs sleep these days, anyway?

On days when May can join her fictional characters on an adventure, stars must align in the sky and meteors will probably rain down. So keep an eye out.

Her hobbies are photography, drawing, plotting different ways of characters' demise, and picking up toys after her kids. Not exactly in that order.

*****

EMPIRE OF SHATTERED CROWNS

- Queen of Deception

- Queen of Ashes

- Queen of Hope

- Queen of Hearts

- Queen of Dante

- TBA

****

HELENA HAWTHORN SERIES:

- Alexander: Memoirs (Prequel & A Vampire In Love Book 1)

- Russian Roulette

- Demon Gates

- Crumbling Control

- Desired (Spin-off Novella)

- Monochrome Interview (A Vampire In Love Book 2)

- Fated Origins

- Cherished (Spin-off Novella)

- Dark Affiliations

- Blood Witch

-Twisted Truths

*****

ANNALISE STORM CHRONICLES:

- Case: 0

- Case: 1

- Case: 2

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
312 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers praise the book's readability, with one highlighting its superb world building. Moreover, they appreciate the author's writing style and the amazing characters. The storyline receives positive feedback, with one customer noting how it moves rapidly from point to point, while another mentions its many twists and turns.

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5 customers mention ‘Readability’5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and well-written, with one customer particularly praising its superb world building and vivid descriptions.

"...This is most definitely a must read book, it is simply amazing and i can't recommend it highly enough, it is definitely deserving of a 5* rating!!!" Read more

"...and so picked it up hoping for a good read, and it was very much a good read. Helena's life changes when she ends up joining her soul to a vampire...." Read more

"...The author handles the genre crossovers effortlessly and the world building is superb...." Read more

"...A great read overall and wets your appetite for the next stage of her adventure..." Read more

4 customers mention ‘Author style’4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the author's writing style, with one noting how effectively it keeps readers engaged.

"...i have read by this author and i am super impressed by this authors style of writing, her imagination and the vitality of thee descriptions within..." Read more

"...The story is engaging and well written...." Read more

"...There are many twists and turns and the author did an excellent job in keeping the reader in a constant state of suspense...." Read more

"...Fantastic job to the author and I cannot wait to continue the series!" Read more

3 customers mention ‘Character development’3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book.

"...different points of view and i think that shows you more into the different characters personalities, into who they are and what has made them who..." Read more

"...Fast paced action that hooks the reader from the start. Great leading character, Helena has a balance of being vulnerable but also a badass who does..." Read more

"I really enjoyed this and loved the fact that none of the characters were perfect...." Read more

3 customers mention ‘Storyline’3 positive0 negative

Customers find the storyline engaging, with one customer noting how it moves rapidly from point to point and another mentioning its many twists and turns.

"...There is a lot that happens in this book, it is a thrilling journey filled with so much tension and action that you are on the edge of your seat..." Read more

"...The story moves rapidly from point to point and ends on a note that will leave you desperate for the next in the series...." Read more

"...There are many twists and turns and the author did an excellent job in keeping the reader in a constant state of suspense...." Read more

Russian Rolette was a great read! I particularly enjoyed that the characters were ...
5 out of 5 stars
Russian Rolette was a great read! I particularly enjoyed that the characters were ...
Russian Rolette was a great read! I particularly enjoyed that the characters were more real and had a depth to them. The story itself moved at a smooth but quick pace. There is plenty of mystery, sexual tension and interesting relational aspects to the story. Freighter takes us on an exciting ride through the paranormal in this exciting urban fantasy. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
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Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Nino
    5.0 out of 5 stars Blown Away at how Amazing this Book was!!!!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 March 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Wow what a book!!! This is the first book that i have read by this author and i am super impressed by this authors style of writing, her imagination and the vitality of thee descriptions within this book. I am now a super fan of this author's work and i am determined to read all her books, that's how impressed i am by her work.

    I was hooked to this story from the first page and one of the things that i enjoyed the most is the fact that you get the story from different points of view and i think that shows you more into the different characters personalities, into who they are and what has made them who they are.There is a lot that happens in this book, it is a thrilling journey filled with so much tension and action that you are on the edge of your seat literally to the last sentence in this book, i can't wait to read more in this series to find out what is going to happen next. It is a truly amazing storyline that makes you obsessively turn the pages to find out what surprise is around the next corner.

    You can tell that so much love and attention has been put into the characters creation and that definitely comes through within the pages. They are amazing characters and i usually have a distinctive favourite but i don't in this book, i adore them all.I would love to know more about the vampires pasts and i would adore to see more of Andrew and his potential. After the way the book ended i can only imagine what will happen next and what more the characters can bring to the world that this author has created.

    This is most definitely a must read book, it is simply amazing and i can't recommend it highly enough, it is definitely deserving of a 5* rating!!!
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  • Joey
    4.0 out of 5 stars I loved the synopsis of this book and so picked it ...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 August 2017
    Verified Purchase
    I loved the synopsis of this book and so picked it up hoping for a good read, and it was very much a good read. Helena's life changes when she ends up joining her soul to a vampire. From there she finds her life changing rapidly from that of a normal teenager at college to someone mixed up in the supernatural world of vampires, and demons. The story is engaging and well written. I loved the way it was told and my only criticism is sometimes Helena came off as more annoying than likeable. Having said that she was going through hell so that's understandable. The story moves rapidly from point to point and ends on a note that will leave you desperate for the next in the series. I'm not a vampire book lover, but I know i'll be reading book two. Recommended.
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  • Juliet Lyons
    5.0 out of 5 stars Superb world building.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 October 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I really enjoyed Russian Roulette. The author handles the genre crossovers effortlessly and the world building is superb. There are many twists and turns and the author did an excellent job in keeping the reader in a constant state of suspense. My favourite character has to be Luscious. He is a gorgeous, edgy vampire who could give Damon from VPD a run for his money in the ruthless stakes. If I had any criticism it would be that there wasn't enough romance between him and Helena, but there are more books to come so I'm sure this will be fully explored later on. As a debut novel, I think the author is definitely one to watch and I'm looking forward to book 2.
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  • Irshiffywritings
    4.0 out of 5 stars Vampires, politics, humans, angels and more...so much more!!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 April 2018
    Verified Purchase
    I first saw this book in a recommendation list a while back and have been curious ever since. What a wait! Fast paced action that hooks the reader from the start. Great leading character, Helena has a balance of being vulnerable but also a badass who doesn't need saving. Her quick thinking plan to get out of horrific ordeals was amazing. My heart stopped for a moment thinking it was going to happen. The writer likes to give her readers a mini heart attack with because so many chapters in the book are filled with moments that will make you gasp and desperately turn the page to find out more.

    Fantastic job to the author and I cannot wait to continue the series!
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  • CntrlFreak
    5.0 out of 5 stars A mix of so much
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 August 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Angels, demons, vampires, gods, and mysteries! An young woman who has had a guardian Angel most of her life is thrust into a world she didn't know existed and makes decisions with much far reaching impacts than she initially thought, to her and those around her. Fighting for survival....this book certainly lives up to its title. A great read overall and wets your appetite for the next stage of her adventure...
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  • Customer X
    5.0 out of 5 stars Enthralling story
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 May 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I really enjoyed this and loved the fact that none of the characters were perfect. A blend of vampires ghosts and demons is a guaranteed success and I will be buying the next book in the series
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  • Kindle Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars More questions than answers
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 August 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Great book but just wish the heroine was a bit more proactive. She just lets things happen around her without questioning or research. Why is her soul so important? Who exactly is her guardian angel and why can't he help more? A few more answers would have driven this up to a 5* but as this stands feel that "she" really let the book down.
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  • Russi K.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Russian Rolette was a great read! I particularly enjoyed that the characters were ...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 May 2017
    Russian Rolette was a great read! I particularly enjoyed that the characters were more real and had a depth to them. The story itself moved at a smooth but quick pace. There is plenty of mystery, sexual tension and interesting relational aspects to the story. Freighter takes us on an exciting ride through the paranormal in this exciting urban fantasy. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
    Customer image
    Russi K.
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Russian Rolette was a great read! I particularly enjoyed that the characters were ...

    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 May 2017
    Russian Rolette was a great read! I particularly enjoyed that the characters were more real and had a depth to them. The story itself moved at a smooth but quick pace. There is plenty of mystery, sexual tension and interesting relational aspects to the story. Freighter takes us on an exciting ride through the paranormal in this exciting urban fantasy. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
    Images in this review
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Jeanne Richardson
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book
    Reviewed in the United States on 18 August 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I've read several books written by May Freighter; she has done a great job at writing a good book; she is becoming one of my favorite authors. I can’t wait to read more of books her books.

    The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.

    I loved the chemistry between the characters.

    I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
    Report
  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Full characters in a compelling tale
    Reviewed in Australia on 9 July 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Long but beautifully paced, no flat spots here.
    The universe offers a new twist to the paranormal but it is consistent and believable. The characterisation is deep, we know these people, we feel their pain and joy.
    First in a series but the story concludes, with a sizable hook to further instalments which I will probably be visiting.
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  • Kristen Lewendon
    5.0 out of 5 stars I had no idea what I was getting into with this book
    Reviewed in Canada on 20 May 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I had no idea what I was getting into with this book. It's familiar in that it's witches and vampires, but that's where the similarities stop. This story has a unique perspective on magic and the supernatural creatures that populate this world that feels very different from just about anything else I’ve read. The story kept me glued to the pages to the point where I had to finish it in a single sitting. I love that even though our leading characters are facing off against awesomely powerful foes, they themselves don’t have access to similar powers. Helena, Lucious, and Alexander have to rely on their wit, charm, and ability to create alliances in order to survive. There are still lots of unknowns here that make me eager to dig in to the next book in the series.
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  • Damian Southam
    4.0 out of 5 stars Fast paced and multiple viewpoints!
    Reviewed in Australia on 28 April 2017
    Verified Purchase
    The panic of awakening from the cloud of darkness following unconsciousness tends to be heightened when you feel the coldness of the concrete wall against your back and the metal cuffs keeping you from escaping. Seeing the sharp extended canines of the approaching attacker, or the reflection of light off his blade, exacerbates Helena's fear and confusion, and the pounding in her head. One look at Alexander and Lucious and you knew they weren't the type to get mixed up with, but who'd have thought going to a job interview would lead to abduction? As always, and hence her nickname, Thorn, she could rely on her bitter tongue to make matters worse. She really needs to practice installing a filter between brain and mouth. If that is, she gets the chance to do so, which continues to look less likely as time goes on. Even the appearance of her guardian angel did nothing for her predicament as he's restricted to an incorporeal form in her realm. The only one who could help is the last one she wants to see.

    Following an ominous beginning, Russian Roulette flashes back to five days before the aforementioned opening. Due to begin college, Helena leaves home to move into a city apartment she shares with her two best friends, Laura and Andrew. Living in Dublin will make finding a job and getting to college much easier. Her friends and her mother and step-father are prepared to support her, but Helena would feel better knowing she didn't have to rely on anyone. In preparation for the move she finds an old family journal, last written in by her grandmother; the same relative her mother would have believe was insane. The echoes of forgotten words spoken and the endless entries by predecessors of a far different world that nearly all humans are unaware of, elicits memories and events long forgotten in her life. Helena's perseverance in questioning her guardian angel Michael, leads to an internal journey to a place no human should be. This place within her mind leads to an interaction that should never have been. Once again fate has been manipulated after hundreds of years whence the gods had stopped it from it's meddling.

    For a century he's chased down lead after lead, starting at the inner circle and sweeping out to faceless names in envelopes, looking for the one who'd killed his maker. Lucious would make sure that Anna would achieve her peace. Finding out the Hounds of the Council were closing in on his location, was no more troubling than the discovery he was even on their list. It would become another in a long line of distractions meant to keep him from his goal. The discovery of a presumed witch with a connection forged to his life-string is expected to be just the latest distraction; he could only assume the Council hired her to find him. But at nineteen years of age he couldn't understand how she'd have the power to trace him, especially from another country away. The call from Alexander telling him needed to hole-up and let him handle the latest lead just happens to be the place he'll find this witch. It looks like he'd be taking an extended break at Russian Roulette, the converted mansion night club his oldest friend (Alexander) owned.

    Quiet resilience, fortitude and a longing for answers would be one way to describe Helena, whilst her best friends contrast considerably. Andrew is a young man of intelligence and hidden devotion flavoured by desire. Laura is the outwardly extroverted sister (by choice), daring and flamboyant, she'd give her constant best to see Helena taste the flavours of living a full life. Lucious is the loyal servant who'd be the mascot of what is right and achievable in a world filled with death and carnal fulfillment. And Alexander is the devoted and loyal friend, a man capable of savagery but nonetheless the man through friendship you'd have in your corner if ever there were a need. Michael, in his coincidental naming, is the loyal and obedient lieutenant seeking to fulfill his duties; a desire which overrides any potential humanity, his advice and help will always be tainted by the role he fulfills. Together these characters complete the broad spectrum of traits that offer a wide range of potential necessary for the formation of entertaining plots.

    Russian Roulette is very much a novella and in many ways is like a prequel. Its shorter length establishes a fast pace, increased further by the alternating points of view. The stage is set for a world where what is human and what is supernatural are separated by a thin veil protected by cold and callous enforcers. Hidden in plain sight, the supernatural has the strength whilst the human has the numbers. There's a darkness coming, one that's been known of for some time. Somewhere in Helena's forgotten memories I suspect lies some answers. Her family knows of what's been hidden and it in some way relates to her missing father. A very enjoyable read, but as intimated its still early days yet. I'd be pretty sure that having read volume one, I'll be on the lookout for volume two..
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  • Marianne K.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome!
    Reviewed in Canada on 11 April 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This is an awesome paranormal romance/suspense.. I liked it very much. It is packed with mystery and intrigue.. Amazing characters! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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